Our city has a big Winter Weekend coming up and Saratoga Arms, Saratoga’s luxury hotel is right in the middle of it all! The weekend of February 3-5, 2012 is designed to fend off those winter blahs.

Something’s Brewing at Saratoga Arms, the city’s finest boutique hotel. We are hosting the first of four Ultimate Bed and Brew Weekends beginning Friday, February 3. With the craft beer enthusiast in mind and a nod to beer and food connoisseurs, Saratoga Arms together with the Olde Saratoga Brewing Company and Sperry’s Restaurant, has designed a package that from start to finish will give you a beer experience that you will talk about for a long time to come. Participate in a behind the scenes tour of our local brewery with beer samplings and end with a gourmet beer pairing meal under the direction of Master Chef Dale Miller at renowned Sperry’s Restaurant. This Saratoga Bed and Breakfast has it all planned out just for you. Meet other beer enthusiasts and sample homebrewed or regional craft beers. Take home specially selected souvenirs of the weekend and maybe a six-pack of locally brewed beer.

We have Beer Weekend guests from last year who had such a great time that they are returning this year with friends and neighbors. They plan to make it an annual event.

As an added bonus this same weekend is the 14^th Annual Saratoga Springs Chowderfest and Winter Festival. On February 4^th more than 35 fabulous local restaurants throughout the city will participate in putting forth their very best chowder recipes for you to sample and judge. There will be wine tastings, live music and plenty of photo ops. Post your pics on our facebook page. See what’s in store in the video below:

Come for the chowder and stay for the beer or the other way around…just come. It’s two events wrapped up in a great winter weekend in Saratoga Springs. Saratoga Arms has a room ready for you and of course there is the breakfast…. ah the breakfast, homemade muffins, hot-from-the-kitchen omelets… but that is for another blog for another day.

Saratoga Arms is an award winning historic 1870 Downtown Saratoga Springs Luxury Hotel, offering intimate charm that no large Saratoga Springs hotel can match. You can read the original blog post here Chowder and Beer…Meant to be together in Saratoga Springs.

1-People watch - Saratoga is the place for fancy hats and people dressed to the nines. You could get lost all day in watching the festive crowds.
2-Dress up or not - Do you want to get all dressed up in your finest clothes and have a seat in the Clubhouse, or are you interested in wearing shorts and sitting at a picnic table with a cooler? The great thing about the Saratoga races is that you can do both, although preferably not on the same day.

3-Play the name game, the color game, or the number game - While you may not be a gambler, it’s always fun to get caught up in the most exciting 2 minutes in sports. You don’t have to be a horse handicapper, as we’ve noticed that sometimes the biggest winners are those who know nothing about horse racing! Just play what you know – favorite number is 9, favorite color is yellow and diamonds are a favorite jewel. Put $10 across the board on the number 9 and who knows, you might come home a winner.

Courtesy of dougtone via Flickr

4-Spot a celebrity - Saratoga has been known to have the cast from The Sopranos in the winner’s circle. A certain cast member from Entourage owns a share in a Saratoga restaurant and a certain former NY Giants coach is seen at the track throughout the meet. Who can you spot?
5-Great Music - There’s a different musical act out in the general admission area each racing day. And who knows, you could kick up your feet as well.

6-Sample the Food and Drink - From the famous fried chicken from local favorite (and winner of the Bobby Flay Throwdown competition) Hattie’s, to famous NYC restaurateur Danny Meyer’s Shake Shack, there’s something for everyone’s appetite. And don’t forget the Saratoga Race Track’s signature cocktail, The Saratoga Sunrise. It’s a perfect thirst quencher for a summer day.
7-View the Paddock Area - Want to see these horses a bit closer up? The paddock area is where the horses get saddled, the jockeys are given final instructions from their trainers and you can get a first glimpse of the horses prior to the race.

Courtesy of dmcordell via Flickr

8-Get a Jockey’s Autograph - These athletes are quite accessible after their race. They dismount their horses at the finish line and walk through the crowd back towards the Jockey quarters. Do you have a little one at home that would love an autograph? The jockeys are usually quite accommodating. Hint: pick the winning jockey and ask them to sign the race page of your program.
9-Sample the Big Red Spring - Our upstate city is known for having curative spring water. There are many free-flowing springs within the downtown area and the Saratoga Spa State Park. And there’s also one within the Race Course grounds. On the far side of the paddock is the Big Red Spring. Bring a cup, take a sip…maybe your aches and pains will subside.

10-Cross it off your Bucket List - Sports Illustrated named the Saratoga Race Course one of the Top 10 sporting venues of the 20th century. We couldn’t agree more!

Have you made your booking? Come see why Saratoga is called “The Summer Place To Be” while you enjoy your stay at Saratoga Arms!

Saratoga Arms is an award winning historic 1870 Downtown Saratoga Springs Luxury Hotel, offering intimate charm that no large Saratoga Springs hotel can match. You can read the original blog post here Top 10 Reasons for a Non-Gambler to Attend the Saratoga Race Course.

Saratoga Arms is an award winning historic 1870 Downtown Saratoga Springs Luxury Hotel, offering intimate charm that no large Saratoga Springs hotel can match. You can read the original blog post here Saratoga Springs and 60 Minutes.

Saratoga Arms is an award winning historic 1870 Downtown Saratoga Springs Luxury Hotel, offering intimate charm that no large Saratoga Springs hotel can match. You can read the original blog post here 2010 Saratoga Hat Contest Winner.

Saratoga Arms is an award winning historic 1870 Downtown Saratoga Springs Luxury Hotel, offering intimate charm that no large Saratoga Springs hotel can match. You can read the original blog post here 2010 Kentucky Derby.

Saratoga Arms is an award winning historic 1870 Downtown Saratoga Springs Luxury Hotel, offering intimate charm that no large Saratoga Springs hotel can match. You can read the original blog post here Thinking about the Kentucky Derby in February?.

Saratoga Arms is an award winning historic 1870 Downtown Saratoga Springs Luxury Hotel, offering intimate charm that no large Saratoga Springs hotel can match. You can read the original blog post here Rachel Alexandra to race in Saratoga on September 5th.

 Opening Day and the excitement throughout the city of Saratoga Springs is palpable.  Up and down the crowded sidewalks visitors mingle with townsfolk, darting in and out of shops and restaurants, chatting on the benches, admiring the artistic horse sculptures, and the lush hanging baskets.  Flags are waving proclaiming the arrival of the 141st meet at Saratoga Race Course.  The Daily Racing Form is the preferred reading choice.  The town is hopping and we are ready.

The Smith family and the staff of Saratoga Arms are welcoming back old friends who return year after year to their favorite Saratoga Springs Hotel.  We are confident that first time guests will fast become part of the Saratoga Arms growing circle of regulars.

The Saratoga Arms dining room this morning was abuzz with racing talk and old friends catching up on the events of last year that passed so quickly.  Noel continuus to delight diners with his usual scrumptious breakfasts and Kathleen shares Saratoga news and offers up tips for an enjoyable stay.

Come join us…the Racing Meet only lasts until Labor Day.  The talk in the racing community is that the quality of horses and the racing will be the best ever.  Don’t miss the fun. 

Saratoga Arms is an award winning historic 1870 Downtown Saratoga Springs Luxury Hotel, offering intimate charm that no large Saratoga Springs hotel can match. You can read the original blog post here And they’re off!!!.

Saratoga Springs is in the middle of our thoroughbred racing season.  The town is jammed and our rooms are filled.  Our director thought it would be fabulous to buy a racing ticket for each room on 8/8/08, betting the eighth horse in the eighth race.  Great idea!  Wouldn’t you know, after the second race that Friday a torrential thunderstorm with golf ball sized hail rained down on Saratoga and the racetrack.  The rest of that day’s racing was cancelled.

We all wondered if we would have a dining room full of winners on 8/9/08.  We’ll never know.  

Any ideas for 9/9/09? 

Saratoga Arms is an award winning historic 1870 Downtown Saratoga Springs Luxury Hotel, offering intimate charm that no large Saratoga Springs hotel can match. You can read the original blog post here 8/8/08.

Saratoga Springs is a special city well renowned for premier racing during the summer at the nation’s oldest thoroughbred track.  Every citizen and every visitor, in fact every person walking down the street, can tell you what a furlong is, who won the Travers last year and when post time is for the first race (1pm).  The racing season brings special excitement to our city.

 But…winter and the start of the holiday season has its own magical style.  Last night, Thursday, November 29, 2007, the 21st annual Victorian Streetwalk filled the town with residents and visitors prepared to get into the spirit of the holidays.  Normally busy Broadway was closed to traffic for five hours while strollers filled the streets.  Shopkeepers opened their doors welcoming customers with goodies and treats…cookies, hot chocolate, eggnog, chowder, punch, chestnuts and candy kept shoppers coming back for more.  Santa, Mrs. Claus and a few representative reindeer delighted young and old alike at the Santa house in the center of town.  Santa was a busy fellow appearing in various incarnations around the city, while Father Christmas greeted passersby and Sax-o-Claus entertained on his “north pole” saxophone.  Up and down Broadway choirs singing carols and holiday songs, musicians, jugglers on stilts and entertainers of varied talents entertained the crowds.  Our front porch and steps were a natural stage for three different singing groups.  It was a real treat to hear.  Horse drawn sleigh rides and even a fellow riding an ostrich added to the magical spectacle of the Victorian Streetwalk.  Saratoga Arms has the holiday spirit as well.  The wonderful white wicker that graces our front porch during the warmer months has been stored away and replaced with hanging greens, red bows and white lights.  The mantels inside have been decorated to warmly welcome cold and weary guests.How lucky we are to live in and be a part of this great community!

Saratoga Arms is an award winning historic 1870 Downtown Saratoga Springs Luxury Hotel, offering intimate charm that no large Saratoga Springs hotel can match. You can read the original blog post here Saratoga Springs Victorian Streetwalk.